But none of the soldiers hadever heard of them nor
were they inclined to talk about themissing. You all got any chewing tobacco,
Scarlett? Always she fearedlest some louse had escaped her.
He turned back to the girls, who weretrying to
suppress their smiles.
An uneasy fear crept intoScarletts mind that
something had happened to him along the way. SomeYankee chaplain would have written
if this were true. Ah, said Melanie, sadly, what will the South be like without
allour fine boys? Melanie dropped her hand but still did not look up.
Tony always managed to get the best of things
inthat family. She had not heard fromFrank Kennedy since Christmas.
Scarlett certainly had nointention of feeding
another mouth. Only a few greenbacks andthe two gold pieces were left
now.
And she could not insist on the others attending to
theirduties when she so neglected hers. A damnedmule, she repeated, looking
indignantly at the scrawny beast. I just came to tell youthat Im going to be
married. On Sundays he hadearned the right to graze in the pasture and rest. I
suppose youheard how he saved our house twice when Sherman was here.
Alex, who still hadboots, was walking and Tony,
barefooted, was riding on the bareback of a mule.
For amonth after the letter came, work was almost
at a standstill. In the matter of compny Mammy was equally adamant. One of the
hogshad just died and they were worried about losing the others. An Ah ainfiggerin
on havin folks criticize her. Carreen had said little during the meal but when it
was over sheslipped over to Mrs.
I guess Ive got you on my neck for the restof my
life.
Now the Yankees wont burn it and ourtroops wont
need it. The war is over, she thought and suddenly she dropped the quillas a wild
happiness flooded her.
Its an insult to the memory of my blooded darlings
to have a mulein their paddock.
In the matter of compny Mammy was equally
adamant.
Youre half sickyourself and if you dont eat more,
youll be sick in bed and wellhave to nurse you. Mist Willie Burr frum Macom whut is
kin ter us, he brung it terMiss Pitty. But itwould be gone soon and then hed lend a
hand in the work.